I decided to try Tia's Taste of Samoa. It is situated on North King Street near the Zippy's…read more These hidden local gems can really provide interesting eats. I've never tried Samoan cuisine ( does Palm Corned Beef count? Jk ) and it is similar to Hawaiian. I requested the Regular Plate from the nice employee, a man of few words. I asked a couple of questions...he pointed...it worked. Got the Luau Mamoe as the single entree choice. You then have the option of mac salad or Sapa Sui ( not exactly a traditional dish, I am guessing ). Lastly, there is a choice from banana, rice, or taro. Sapa Sui is simiar to Korean japchae, with cubed pork and frozen mixed vegetables - peas, carrots, and corn. Quite good with a strong soy sauce flavor. Luau Mamoe is like Hawaiian beef/squid luau. Stewed in coconut milk, taro leaves are mixed with New Zealand lamb. Negative: too many bones. Positive: luau leaves are always good. Taro...if I was hungry...could've finished both chunks of steamed taro. It was a lot. Poly Plate offers two entree choices. Street metered parking. Closed on Tuesdays but open the other weekdays from 900a till 600p. Weekend hours are from 900a to 400p.

Ron and Tia are the faces that greet you when you enter this restaurant. It has been described on…read moreYelp as a hole-in-the-wall, and it is in a very good way. There are only two tables here, so dining-in is an option, but we often see people ordering for to-go. We were a hungry party of four, directed here by curiosity and prior eating experience by one of us (shout out to Jaeyeong). Their food offerings are unique and distinctly Samoan! I don't think I had had Samoan food before, and now I am thankful that I have. I got the Poly plate because I can eat-- two entrees, and a choice of rice, taro, and faʻi. I couldn't decide between the three carb options, so Ron gave me a little bit of each which together combined into a proper portion! I got the kale mamoe (lamb curry) and the mulpipi (turkey tails). I love lamb, and I had never seen turkey tails offered anywhere before, so I had to try it. I also got Tia's signature pie (a pineapple peach pie) which was very good, and very sweet! The meat half moon pie is also so good. Honestly, you can't go wrong with the food here. Everything was delicious.

Going around looking for fasi povi since I've been craving. Was excited that they put it in…read moreindividual containers and the prices are clearly marked. The old female worker got mad at me when I told her she rung me up wrong. I told her no, the chop suey is $5.99 not the $6.99 she put it as. All she said was oh, there was no apology. And you know she was giving attitude for having to use calculator. Make sure you know the prices and check receipts so you no get ripped off.

Just stopped by today with my friend who needed some ingredients for his Samoan foods and what a…read moretreat it was. They had wide varieties of prepared hot foods along with ingredients to make Polynesian foods. I recognized taros, yams, coconut cream desserts and even some Korean side dishes. The owner was a sweet Korean lady who was very friendly and helpful. The place was clean and well organized. First thing I noticed when I stepped into the store was the scent of fresh baked bread. I got the fresh white bread and it was nice and dense. I also got the pineapple turnover or half moon and it was very tasty. What a great find..

I never review this early lol. Sometimes it takes me months tbh. My on time review is probably bias…read morelol as I am Samoan lol. We were driving around searching every market that pops up on yelp saying they sell hot Samoan food, my mom grew up in Hawaii and remembers a market on the corner in her old neighborhood somewhere that sells Samoan food. I search yelp & end up here first, this wasn't the market, we eventually found the one she was speaking of, but of all the ones we visited today, this one stood out to us the most, as we tried food from every market we visited. They definitely had the most options from the other markets we tried , even sold Vaifala in mason jars. The 4 stars really is for the price. What we got here we would usually pay $100 off top for in the mainland. So to us, the pricing was reasonable. It's only missing a star because the lack of flavor in what I wanted the most lol. The palusami being $7 was def, uhm, questionable. The second market we visited had theirs priced at $3. I feel so many things come into play when you price food. Like ....do it taste like $7? My pops is the cook in our family & early on he tried steaming his luau before baking it. This creates a more soft texture in the luau kalo creating an easier tear when you dip your kalo or fa'i in lol & a better chew. I realized how much that made a difference when I ate the palusami from here today. The luau was tough, hard to tear into with my kalo and when I went to take a bite it was rough. Idk how to explain but I wish it was softer. The faalifu inside also could've used more seasoning. However I'm here for more than that lol , because I HATE Turkey tail. I've always been able to do oxtail because I feel like there's more meat than fat there, But with Turkey tail I feel like it's all fat, little meat. However the Turkey tail from here, best I've had to be honest. I only tried because my mom said I'd like it. She was right. So tasty. I didn't even mind the fat because it was marinated and seasoned well. I also had the vegetables and mamoe lol I mean, we killed that in the car on the drive back to the hotel lol. I kept telling my mom wait I need to take a picture for my review lol but Lol we couldn't stop eating it after tasting it. That should say enough lol. Also, they sell canned spaghetti here lol. The kind they don't sell it in reg grocery stores on the mainland anymore. I have to order it on Amazon for my parents, so it was so cool to see they sell it here lol. So lucky lol. They had sweets too. Pankeke, half moon pie, banana bread. I had the banana bread and it was good, your typical Samoan banana bread. Other than that, this place is def. Worth the time & money. My parents would love to not have to cook Samoan food anymore because it's sold just down the street LOL. But until then our annual Hawaii trips will include Talofa Polynesian Market from now on.

I love this place. Every time you visit, if you don't want to cook but have a fat wallet, you know…read morewhere to go even early as 8am you get nice hot Poly food fresh and very delicious! Whoever the Chef is, you're doing a great job. So get ready to go and enjoy this Yummylicious hot Polynesian food! MAHALO

Wow wow wow! We visited this little hole in the wall place twice while on vacation. Strictly take…read moreout... The selection is massive and they're a well oiled machine. Fast service...but not rushed. Everything is handmade...you can sort of sneak a peek in the back from the register. After trying this place, we're all obsessed with musubi! Try it out. You won't be disappointed!

Musubi Cafe is such a fun, local gem, but be ready for a wait. We went early, midday timing, and…read morethe line was already about 15 people with roughly a 30 minute wait. It moves steadily though, and it is worth it. Inside is tiny, just one small table, so this is really an order and go kind of place rather than somewhere to sit and eat. They have every musubi combination you could think of, unagi, avocado, cucumber, egg, bacon, ume, tofu skin, shrimp, you name it. I got the tuna mayo onigiri and wished they had packed in a little more tuna filling, but it was still tasty. I also tried the cucumber spam musubi, which was really good too. We came as a group of seven and everyone ordered something different, and everyone loved every bite. My tip: get at least two musubis per person. A few people in our group got four each and had zero regrets. One thing to know ahead of time is parking. It is street parking only and pretty limited, so plan for that if you are driving. Overall such an easy, yummy stop and a great local experience in Waikiki.

Best local spot for Hawaiian food. The locals and visitors to the island alike love this spot. And…read morefor good reason. They are extremely consistent, since ever, and every dish tastes authentic. Pipikaula, which is the pulehu short rib, is my favorite. Lots of meat on the bone, and the fat in the meat you can taste with every bite. We got chicken long rice, beef stew, side rice, lau lau, haupia, and kalua pig with cabbage, lomi salmon, chili water, poi! Lau lau is Ono, definitely home made, and lots of meat inside. Almost forgot, we got watercress soup too. That's my favorite veggie! And the beef in the soup was cooked down so it was very moist. A little pricey overall but very worth it. Ambiance is nice and comfy inside. We went for takeout. Service was prompt and friendly even though they're so busy. Stop by if you craving Hawaiian food in kalihi!

Visit September 2026:…read more What's Pidgin for OMG???? Because O...M...freaking...Geeeeeeeeee. Every trip to Hawai'i I look forward to upsetting my doc back at the mainland by gorging on some ono local grinds. Boy is he going to be angry. Give me a Chee Hoo for some Fried Butterfish Collar! How they are able to fry this fish without drying it out, allowing juices to just ooze out after breaking through the crisp exterior is mind bending. They know it's good bc when I excitedly ordered a second serving the waitress gave me a knowing wink. This is my new "last bite." Kalbi. Juicy. Well seasoned. Some of the best I've had. You know it's a popular dish when bc when I looked inside the kitchen you just see rows upon rows of ribs hanging ready to be pulled down and thrown on the grill. Lau lau-pork and butterfish steamed in ti leaves, a Hawaiian comfort food. The main reason for this trip was to bring my Mom back to her hometown in Ewa. She commented that she has not found a lau lau to her liking in San Diego so when this was brought to her and she went completely silent and smiling eating it up you know it's good lol. I was very happy Helena's take brought her joy. Kalua pork and cabbage. I can't attest to it bc it was being hoarded on the other side of the table and I was just happy with the butterfish and kalbi as is lol. Poke-Bruh, it's Hawai'i. Haupia-oh goodness. This was the perfect way to finish off the meal. The traditional coconut pudding was refreshing without being overbearingly sweet. Looks like Jello blocks but firm enough to pick up by hand. Outstanding. Service was ridiculously friendly and epitomized the Aloha spirit. This place is a foodies dream stop, serving locals and tourists alike since 1946. This place is a freaking institution!

Tried the food at sunnys today after church with the family- so good!…read moreLots of different hot food and had poke too. All the food was fresh and the place was clean. Prices are the cheap compared the other Samoan food places in town. They also have super cheap prices on the case meat - cheaper than sams club.

The box was open coming from Wong meat market. The box had very mix and match cuts of meat. some…read morethicker than 4 fingers some of the meat cuts were so thin. the quality of the meat was mostly fat with little to no meat on what you see in the picture is the only meaty pieces

Great experience upon entering the store, the cashier was very friendly and helpful when I asked…read morequestions about items I didn't see out anymore, even the guy and lady that was in the back was helpful. I was able to get my corn beef. All The food i got was delicious and tasty and I will definitely come back again.

I haven't been here for over 40 years. The place was clean. We went there for the turkey tails and…read moreit was really good, cooked to perfection, was soft with a good marinade. I also got the shoyu chicken and the fried chicken. They both was good too. I've been looking for a place that sold cooked turkey tails and I'm glad I found this place. They also have other food. The only downfall is the parking. Go and enjoy!

use to be my favorite store bt they barely restocks , some chips are stale n their prices are so…read moremuch expensive now

I like this place better than the old Dot's that was in the corner a while back. Its much more…read moreorganized and all in stainless food warmers. Corned beef and cabbage, palusami (luau leaves with coconut milk and onions. Looks like a little laulau), taro, banana and fe'e (squid w/coconut milk and onions) just permeates the air when you walk in. Being able to free range in here is a bad idea if your familiar with the food. The plate starts to get heavy, you run out of space on the plate and theres still other stuff to get. If its not that, its the sticker shock when you pay for your stuff. Single items like the palusami and food by the pound like the poke and the fe'e has its own price while the others in the warmer get weighed together. So when it gets rung up and $27.00 and some change later, you learn to get one staple and two main and get out. Apparently, I still haven't learned that. The food here is obviously expensive. It is definitely worth the price though. The plate I made could feed three people easy and no I didnt eat it all, lots were taken home with me. The workers here are really nice and helpful. The parking is small but never did I have a problem getting one. The stalls are angled down towards the stream so if you reverse or pull straight in, it would be wise to use your parking brake just so you know your car will be there when you come out and not in the stream.

We had a family event in the area and decided to make a quick stop at Waiahole Poi Factory…read moreafterwards to grab a Sweet Lady of Waiahole! The Sweet Lady of Waiahole is definitely a treat! The warm kulolo paired with the haupia ice cream is such a delicious combination. Also you gotta get it with a double scoop of ice cream! I remember when my boyfriend first introduced me to this dessert, and I was instantly hooked! It's such a unique and satisfying local treat. Definitely a must stop if you're in the area!

I heard about this spot from multiple people and was excited to see that it fit our itinerary…read moreperfectly! + my boyfriend really wanted to try Poi while we were visiting the Island. There is a really small parking lot available, but we just found parking on side of the street and walked over. There are tables outside for people to enjoy their foods. It can be filled up quickly since lots of people visit this spot. Many people are willing to share space. Single restroom stall available around the building. Staff is super friendly We ordered a plate with Squid Luau, Laulau, and Poi and a single plate with kalua pig. Both plate comes with some sort of coconut pudding? and a very delicious side of lomi with salmon bits in it. The food was so good! Portion was so good and super filling! One note is that we wish there were more squid bits. Overall, a 10/10 would recommend!

Have you ever tried authentic Hawaiian food? Do you know what they eat in their houses very…read moreconfused? Check out this place homestyle Hawaiian plates with multiple different options and combinations don't judge the food you have to have it. It has subtle flavors deeply, rooted, cultural identity. Simple yet talk talks about history. When you use display, you can see old school Hawaiian folks explaining you what this food means to them and serve you a plate full of their food of different portions. It's plenty of food for one person to eat. They are very welcoming and they will feel proud of serving this to the guest. It's a very old-school vibe since it's Hawaii. It's mostly outdoor seating but this place is always. It's been there around for a while now and I don't think they're ever going downhill one of the best places to try even though they're plenty of other options for you.

A local Hawaiian recommended Rainbow Drive-In to us, and I'm glad we stopped by. The loco moco was…read moreso good! Savory, satisfying, and an easy 5/5 for me. You order outside at the window, and there's plenty of outdoor seating. Our food came out pretty quickly, too. There's a restroom available; you just need to ask for the key. Definitely a delicious stop if you're craving a classic loco moco!